Adjustable folding curtain-partition for houses



(No Model.) I C. S. LANGWORTHY.

ADJUSTABLE FOLDING CURTAIN PARTITION FOR HOUSES.

N0. 385 813. Patented Jul 10,1888. 9 a y 8 9= 0 co d F 7 Evcnfar:

ilmrnn STATES CHARLES S. LANGIVOR'II-IY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE FOLDING CURTAIN=PARTITION FOR HOUSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,813, dated July 10, 1888.

Application tiled Svptenihcrll 1537. Serial No. 219,428.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. LANG- WORIIIY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Adjustable Folding Curtain-Partitions for Houses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a removablefoldingcurtain-partitionofasimple, cheap, light, and durable construction, the length or width of which may be readily adjusted according to the width or size of the room in which it is placed, so that the same partition will be adaptable to any position or use desired.

In my invention a series of upright posts are employed, each provided with a pair of folding feet pivoted at the bottom of the post on opposite sides thereof, and which extend in opposite directions alongside each other under the end ofthe post, so that the weight of the post rests directly upon the pivoted feet and serves to hold them rigidly extended. These upright posts are connected together by cross-bars pivoted together at their middle and pivoted to the posts at their lower ends, the upper ends of the erossbars being pivoted in longitudinal slots or grooves formed in the upright posts, so that the posts may be adjusted closer together or farther apart, as desired, the cross-bars serving to hold the posts upright and parallel to each other whatever their distance apart. The extreme or end posts of the partition are furnished with pockets or receptacles for the weights which keep thecurtainsupporting cord taut, so that whatever the distance between the posts the curtain will be properly supported. In place of these weights springs may be substituted. The partition is provided with a door by providing the middle or one of the intermediate posts with hinges,to which the adjoining crossbars are seen red, so that the end section of the folding partition may serve as a door. All the intermediate posts may be provided with hinges, if desired, so that the partition may be made to form two, three, or more sides of an inelosure instead of a straight partition. The number of upright posts may be varied as desired. I ordinarily prefer to employ three.

(No model.)

My invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations of devices herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, showing in section a portion of the walls of a room in which it is placed. Fig. 2 is an end or edge view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the same folded. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section on line5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig.6 is a detail view showing the feet of the upright post folded. Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal section of one of the end upright posts. Fig.8 is a crosssection on line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 shows the invention when the upright posts are made of metal tubes, and Fig. 11 is a crossseet-ion on line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a small perspective view illustrating the length of the feet. Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 13 of Fig. 7.

In said drawings, A A represent the walls of a room which is to be partitioned or di vided by my folding adjustable curtain-partition.

B B are the two extreme or end upright posts of the partition, and B is the middle or intermediate post. Each of these posts B and B is furnished with a pair of folding feet, I) b, which extend at right angles to the plane of the partition on each side of the post, at the lower end thereof. The feet of the middle post are made somewhat longer than those of the end posts, as is clearly illustrated in the small perspective View, Fig. 12. By making the feet of'the middle post, B, longer than those of the outside posts it is obvious thatin order for the partition to tip over one of its ends will have to be raised entirely clear from the floor, while the partition tips or turns on the oblique line x as, drawn from the end of the middle post to the end of the end feet as a pivot. By this means, therefore, the partition is given much greater stability than if all the feet were made of even length. The post is furnished at its lower' end with three metallic hinge-plates, b, b, and b, all of which pro ject beyond the lower end of the post. The middle hingeplate, b", is secured in a central vertical slot, 2)", made in the end of the post, and the two outside hinge-plates, b b, are secured to the opposite sides of the post by rivets b the same rivets also passing through the middle hinge-plate. The middle hinge-plate is also furnished with two ears or wings, b N, which project at the front and back of the post, and the side hinge-plates, b b, are each furnished with projecting ears or wings I) b, the ear on onepf the plates projecting to the front and that on the other to the back. The two feet I) b are pivoted to the ears b b, at opposite sides or edges of the post, so that when the feet are extended the end of the post rests on top of the feet. The whole weight of the partition thus serves to keep the two feet extended fiat and rigidly upon the floor. As is shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 8, the feet I) b extend under the end of the post, so that the post, resting on the feet, will hold them rigid and extended flat. The end of the post serves as a shoulder, so to speak, to prevent the feet I) b from shutting or turning on their pivots upward when the feet are extended and project in opposite directions under the post. The thickness of the feet I) I) should be just half the thickness of the post. Each of the feet I) is pivoted at its large end to a bracket, 2), at one side of one of the posts B B, and extends across under the lower end of the post to and projects beyond the opposite side thereof, as is clearly indicated in the drawings. Each of the posts B B is furnished with a longitudinal T-shaped groove or slot extending down from the upper end of the post somewhat less than half the length of the post. To form the T- slots, I make a wide groove or channel, I), in the main part of each of the posts,-and furnish each post with a thin strip, b", which forms the front of the post, and which is furnished with a narrow slot, b. The slotted front strips, b", are glued or otherwise firmly secured to the posts. The grooves b receive the head, or washer of the sliding pivot-pins, which connect the upper ends of the crossbars D D to the posts B B. The grooves b in the two end posts, B B, are made deeper and divided into two parts by a vertical strip of sheet metal, b which has flanges b at its edges, and is secured at the shoulders 1) formed in the posts by making the outer part of the groove 1) slightly wider than its deeper portion. The sheet-metal divisionplates 11 thus form pockets or receptacles for the curtain-cord P and its weights P.

D D are cross-braces pivoted at their opposite ends to the upright posts B B, and pivoted together at their middle points, where they cross each other. The post B is furnished with hinges E E, to the two leaves 6 a of which the adjoining ends of the cross-bars D D are pivoted, so that one of the two sections of the partition may be used as a door.

The lower hinge, E, is secured to,a stationary block, F, by metal staples f, Whiehpass over or astride of the barrel or central pivot portion, 0, of the hinge. The leaves 6 e of the hinge enter slots d 01, cut in the ends of the adjoiningpivot-bars D D. The slot at is out near the back edge of the bar D, while thecorresponding slot, d, 'is out near the front edge end of the bar D, which is pivoted to the post B,is pivoted thereto through a block, F',which serves to raise the bar slightly from the post, and thus permit the cross-bars D D to properl y fold together. The lower ends of the bars D D, which are connectedto the posts B B,

are pivoted thereto by bolts or wood-screwsd d. The upper ends of the bars D Dare pivotally secured to the posts B B by bolts or ri.v ets d 01", which fit in longitudinal slots or grooves b I), cut in the posts B B. The rivets (Z (Z are furnished with rollers or rollingwashers d d, which are somewhat less in diameter than the width of the slot b so that the roller cannot bear against the opposite sides or walls of the slot at the same time. The holes in these roller-washers should also be somewhat larger than the pivots d. The washers d serve to keep the pivots d from hearing against the walls of the narrow slot b in the facing-strip b and cause the cross-arms D D to slide easily up and down on the posts BB. connected to the outside post, B, is furnished with a block, F", to hold it away from the plane of the post, and thus permit the cross-bars D D to properly fold together.

The upper hinge, E, of the middle post, B, to the leaves of which the adjoining upper ends of the bars D D are pivoted by the rivets d, is secured by metallic staples f to a sliding block, K, having a tongue, 70, which tits in the slot b of the poststrip b. This sliding block K is furnished with a guide-spring, k, that slides in the groove 1), and presses against the inner face of the strip b The block K is further provided with a pivoted dog, If, having a handle, h and an arm, it, against which the spring presses, and by which it maybe operated. The post or post-strip b is clamped between the sliding block and the spring, whereby the sliding block is locked or held at any desired height on the post B. By simply pressing down on the handle k with the thumb when taking hold of the knob K, the pressure of the spring and dog is released, and the operator may then readily raise or lower the block K onthepost B, and thus contract or extend the posts BB and the width of the partition. \Vhen lowering the block K, the partition should be lifted or partially lifted from the floor with one hand, while the block K is The upper end of the bar D, which is dle post is shown without hinges.

pressed down with the other hand on the knob K. To raise the block K and draw the posts B B toward each other, all that is necessary is to lift on the knob K.

The weight-cord P passes through holes in the posts B B near their tops. The posts B B should be furnished with ornamental tops B, which may be fitted in the holes or grooves I) on the top of the posts.

The curtain G is furnished with rings 5 through which the cord P passes. At the ends of the partition the curtain is tacked or glued to the end posts, B B. \Vhere, however, the end posts are made of metal tubes provided with outside sliding sleeves, n, as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, I provide the end edges ofthe curtain with a sheet-metal strip, g folded over its edges, to stiffen the same and hold itstraight and in position.

In Fig. 10 it will be observed that the mid- \Vhere no hinges are used to form a door of one of the sections, an opening or passage-way may be formed by simply contracting the partition, the opening being closed by again extending the partition.

I claim 1. An adjustable folding curtain-partition, consisting of upright posts provided with feet extending forward and back of the partition, connecting cross-bars having pivotal-connections at one of their ends to said upright posts and sliding pivotal connections to said posts at their other ends, and a flexible curtain supported on said posts, substantially as specified.

2. In an adj ustable folding curtain-partition, the combination, with upright posts B B, furnished with folding feet b b, of cross-bars D I), one pair of said cross-bars D D being hinged to said post B, and a flexible curtain supported by said posts, substantially as specified.

The combination, with an adjustable folding curtain-partition, of the upright posts thereof, and folding feet I) 11, extending under the ends of said posts and pivoted on opposite sides thereof, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in an adjustable folding curtain-partition, of the upright posts thereof furnished with hinge-plates projecting beyond the end of the post, and folding feet I) b, extending under the end of the post and pivoted to said hinge-plates at opposite sides or edges of the post, said feet folding up lengthwise with the post, substantially as specified.

The combination, in an adjustable folding cm'tainpartition, of the upright posts thereof furnished with hinge-plates projecting below the end of the post, and folding feet b 1), extending under the end of the post and pivoted to said hinge-plates at opposite sides or edges of the post, said feet folding up lengthwise with the post, the middle hingeplate being secured in a central slot in the end of the post and having two ears, and the outer hingeplates having each one ear, b said ears projecting in opposite directions, substantially as specified.

(5. The combination, in an adjustable folding curtainpartition, of the upright posts B B B, having feet Z) I), with pivoted cross-bars D D, curtain G, cord 1 and weights P, said end posts, B B, being made hollow or furnished with pockets for said weights, substantially as specified.

7. The combination,with upright posts B B B, having feet, of Crossbars D D D D, and hinges E E, having their pivot-pins or barrels pivotally connected to said post B and furnished with leaves 6 e, to which the adjoining ends of said cross-bars D D are pivoted, substantially as specified.

8. The combination,with upright posts B B B, having feet, of crossbars D D D D, and hinges E E, having their pivot-pins or barrels pivotally connected to said post B, and furnished with leaves 0 e, to which the adjoining ends of said crossbars D D are pivoted, said hinge E being connected to said post through or by means of a sliding block, K, substantially as specified.

9. The combination,with upright posts B B B, having feet, of cross-bars D D D D, and hinges E E, having their pivot-pius or barrels pivotally connected to said post B, and fur nished with leaves 6 e, to which the adjoining ends of" said cross-bars D D are pivoted, said hinge B being connected to said post through or by means of a sliding block, K, and said hinge E being connected to said post by a block, F, substantially as specified.

10. The combination, with upright posts B B B, having feet, of cross-bars D D D D, pivotally connected to said posts, the outer parallel pair of said cross-bars D D having blocks F F through which they are connected to said outer posts, B B, and hinges E E, connected to blocks F K, and having leaves a a, secured in slots in the ends of the adjoining cross-bars D D, the slots in one pair of said cross-bars being made near their front and in the other pair near their back, substantially as specified.

11. In an adjustable folding curtain-partition, the upright posts B 3 B, having feet bl), the feet of the middle post, B, being longer than those of the end posts, B B, substantially as specified.

12. In an adjustable folding curtain-partition, the combination of the posts B B B, having feet, with pivotal cross-bars D D D D, the upper ends of said cross-bars sliding longitudinally on said posts, said middle post, B, having a slidingblock, K, to which the adjoining upper ends of said cross-bars D D are pivotally conncctcd, said sliding block being pro vided with a knob, K, for operating the same, substan' ially as specified.

13. In an adjustable folding curtaiirpartt tion, the combination of the posts B B B, having fcet,with pivotal cross-bars D DD D, the upper end of said cross-bars sliding longitudinally on said posts, said middle post, B, havstrips, 1)", having slot b, the slots in said posts B B being furnished with sheet-metal stripsb to form the weight-pockets, the pivots of said cross-bars D D,which reciprocate in the slots 1) of the posts B B, being furnished with rolling Washers d smaller in diameter than the Width of said slots, substantially as specified.

CHARLES S. LANGWORTHY. \Vitnesses:

EDMUND ADOOOK, H. M. MUNDAY. 

